Waste fixture



` d May 14, 1929. H. E. ROBERTSON 1,113,300

WASTE FIXTURE Filed Jan. 12, 1928 5 Z .fnl/@ZW /yomef/poerfsm Q3 of rubber or Patented May 14, 1929,

HOMER E. ROBERTSON,

or wINNIi'rxA, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR rro GoE'rz BRASS Cour-Y PANY, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

lWASTE FIXTURE.

Applicationy filedJanuary 12, 1928. Serial No. 246,110'.

This invention relates to waste fixtures and aims to provide an improved fixture of this character which is attractive though inconspicuous and which may be removed for repair or otherwise from the exposed side of the device to which it is applied.

VThe nature ofthe invention may be readily understood by reference to one illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the. accomvertical section through one end taken online 3-3 is, a tub some of whose sides abut a wall. In installations of this character, appear-` ance is of prime importance and it is', therefore, desirable to conceal asr much of the accessory plumbing structure as possible. In the arrangement here shown the waste end of the tub iabuts the 'wall 11, the tub being so designed Vas to provide a space:l y12'at its end f and below its bottom and,r waste pipe connected with the overflowjopening 15 o f the Vtub appropriate manner and' this opening' is Vladvantvageously covered by a strainer 16 which is vdesigned to give the connection a neat finish. i v

The waste Apipe'nlluis connected with the waste'openingfl' "in" the tub bottomv by a flangedcoupling or nipple 18 which screws into the threaded elbow 19 ofl the'waste pipe. Theinarginl Q0 of thev waste opening is clamped between the flanges'21 and 22 of the elbow and coupling, respectively. A gasket the like is advantageously interposed between the fiange 21 Vand theftub bottom to insure a tight joint. i Theupper surfaceV 24 of flange 22, here shown as flat, lies flush with or a little below the tub bot-v torn.` A valve in the formof a plate 25 seats against the upper surface of fiange `22 and for this purposeis in this case provided with a fiat or substantially flat lower face 26.

for an overflow pipe 13 bath tub or the like showing a.

operate the valve. fixture vis herein shown applied to a built-in bath tub 10, that le. 'The .overflow pipe 13 is `Whilev the lower face of the valve may appear flat, it may be machined so that only a portion of its surface makes a seating'contact with flange 22,-so as to concentrate the weight of the valve on a smaller 'seating area. The upper face 25 of the valve is flat or slightly convex and is beveled or rounded at its upper edge so that when seated it presents a smooth surface without any corners, being in effect practically a continuation of the sur.- face of the tub bottom. Such a construction is ideal for bath tubs not only from the standpoint of appearance but because it eliminates the waste ystrainer or the depressed or projecting waste closure, which are uncomfortable and frequentlyunsightly and difficult to keep clean. The -exposed face of the valve advantageously has-a polished nickel plated finish or such other finishv as harmonizes with the/tub and other fittings.'y

The valve is held in position relative to its seat by a guide in the form of vanes .27 (three in this case) which allow vertical and rotative movement of the `valve but by engagement with theinner face of the'nipple 18 lprevent its lateral krdisplacement;l The vanes serve to divide thewaste passage into a plu-` rality of passages` of sector-shaped crosssectionwhich effectively prevent theformation of a vortex-or vortices in the escaping water which would seriously limit the capacit-y of the waste i wastewater. 'Opening of 'the Yvalve by a vertical movevment thereof above its seat (thereby providing an annular waste 'opening 28-for theesc'ape of water) is effected in this instance by rotationjwhich involves la vertical caniming action. The cam `means are here shown as'inclined cani'surfaces 29 advantageously formed integral with thecoupling 18 and engaging respectively the lower edges of the guide vanes '27. Thusrotative movement of the valve lcauses ythe guides'to move up orI down the case may be) the inclinedV cam faces. Spaces 30 are provided beyond the lower ends of the cam surfaces Vwhich r'eceive the vanes after they travel beyond the Vends of the' cams, thereby allowing the valve passage to carry away ico to Seat freely and bringing the entireweight lof the valve upon the valve seat. The upper ends 31' of the cam surfaces are flattened' so that thejvalve will remain in open positionY afterit has beenoncelmoved into that position. Stops 32 at the upper ends of the cam faces limit the rotative movement of the valve. y i

A small laterally extending or eccentric projection 33 (which is well rounded to eliminate any uncomfortable surfaces) is advantageously provided on the upper side of the valve so that the valve may be rotated to open or close the same by a slight lateral pressure applied by the foot, 'thereby avoiding the necessity of stooping to operate the valve or of .putting the hands in the water. For this purpose the valve should be inserted in the coupling 18 so that the projection 38 extends laterally when the valve is closed. VTo open the valve it is simply necessary to push or kick the projection through a small distance in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. fl. i

While the valve may be removed from the coupling 18 simply by lifting it, a fiexible connection in the form of a bead chain 34 preventsthe complete detachment of the valve so that children particularly, cannot completely remove the valve and possibly lose it. In the present case one end of the chain is connected by a screw 85 to the lower edge of the coupling 18 and the other end by a similar screw 36 to the lower edge of the guide vanes in the valve. If it be necessary to detach the valve this may be done by unscrewing the screw 36.

VNecessary repairs and replacements of parts may be made from the exposed side of the tub. For example, if it be necessary to renew either the valve or coupling (the only elements ever likely to require replacement), all of this may be done from the exposed side of the tub and without access to the concealed or enclosed side. Thus it is unnecessary to provide an unsightly and expensive panel on the opposite face of the wall for the purpose of giving access to the back or concealed face of the tub. Furthermore, no waste control elements obstruct the overflow pipe, leaving the latter free to function efficiently to carry away overflow water. Y Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative construction, since these may be variously modified. Moreover it is not indispensable that all features of Y the invention be used conj ointly since various features may be employed in other combinations and sub-combinations.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, I claim:

l. An internally removable waste fixture for bath tubs or the like comprising in combination vwith the waste opening in the tub bottom, a waste pipe having an opening registering with said waste opening, a coupling connected with said pipe opening` andextending into the waste opening and having a flange engaging the upper margin of the tub opening and forming a tight joint therej with guiding with, a valve having a substantially flat upper face and having a lower face adapted to seat against said coupling flange, said upper face forming substantially an unbroken surface with the tub bottom, valve guiding means `extending into the coupling and engaging cam means in saidV coupling and cooperating therewith to raise and lower said valve upon rotation thereof, and a small eccentric proj ection on the upper faceof said valve extending laterally only a sufficient distance to enable said valve to be opened and closed by a kick delivered against'said projection, said projection merging into the upper surface of the valve surface. so as not to provide any sharp or interfering projection.

2. An internally removable waste-fixture for bath tubs or the like comprising in combination with the waste opening in the 'tub bottom, a waste pipe having an opening registering with said waste opening, a coupling connected with said pipe opening and extending' intor the waste `opening and having a flange engaging the upper margin of the tub opening and forming a tight joint therewith, a valve having a substantially fiat upper face and having a lower face adapted to seat against said coupling flange, said upper face forming substantially an unbroken surface with the tub bottom, valve guiding meansextending into the coupling', said coupling being provided with relatively steep cam surfaces engaging said guiding means whereby said 'valve may be fully opened and closed by rotation thereof through only a small portion of a single revolution, and provided with means which serve to hold said valve against self-closing when rotated to its fully open position, said cam surfaces being designed to enable said valve to close by gravity after an initial closing movement thereof, and a small eccentric projection on the upper face of said valve extending' laterally only a suficient distance to enable said valve to beV opened and closed by a kick delivered against said projection, said projection merging into the upper surface of the valve surface so as not to provide any sharp or interfering projection.

seat against said couplingfiange, said upper face forming substantially an unbroken surface with the tub bottom, cam means associated with said coupling, said valve provided means extending into said coupling and engaging said cam means so as to be free to be lifted vertically clear of said coupling, said cam means being designed so that said valve may be fully opened or closed by rotation thereof through -only a small portion of a single revolution, and pro-y vided with means which serve to hold said valve against self-closing when rotated to its vlO fully open position, said cam means being de signed to enable said valve to close by ravity after an initial closing movement t erebination with the waste opening in the tubv bottom, a waste pipe having an opening regn istering with said waste opening, a coupling connected with said pipe opening andextending into the waste opening and having a flange engaging the upper margin of the tub opening and forming a tight joint therewith, a valve having a substantially flat upper face and having a lower face` adapted to seat against said coupling flange, sai-d upperlface forming substantially an unbrokenr surface with the tub bottoni, valve guiding means extending into the coupling, cam means in said coupling on which said guiding means rest so that said valve maybe freely lifted clear of said coupling, said cam means, cooperating with said guiding means to raise and lower said valve upon rotation thereof, and a small eccentric projection on the upper face of said valve extending laterally only a sufficient distance to enable said valve to be opened and closed by a kick delivered against said proj ection, said projection merging into the upper surface of the valve surface so as not to provide any sharp or interfering projection.

5. An internally removable waste fixture for bath tubs or the like comprising in combination with the waste openinginthe tub bottom, a waste pipehaving an opening registering with said waste opening, a coupling connected with said pipe opening and extending into the waste opening and having a flange engaging the upper margin of the tub opening f and forming a tight joint therewith, Va valve having a substantially flat upper face andy having a lower face adapted to seat against said coupling flange, said upper face yforming substantially an unbroken surface with the tub bottom, valve guiding means extendingv into the coupling, cam means in sai-d coupling on which said guiding means rest so that said valve may be freely lifted clear of said coupling, said cam means cooperating with said guiding means to raise and lower said valve upon rotation thereof, a small eccentric projection on the upper face of said valve extending laterally only a sufficient distance to enable said valve to be opened and closed by a kick delivered against said projection, and a flexible elementy connecting said valve with said coupling and cooperating to permit said valve to be lifted clear of the latter but preventing complete separation of the valve from the coupling.

` In testimony whereof, I have signed naine to this specification.

HOMER E.A ROBERTSON. 

